The Boxer
"In the clearing stands a boxer and a fighter by his trade
And he carries the reminder of every blow that laid him down
Or cut him 'til he cried out in his anger and his shame
'I am leaving, I am leaving,' but the fighter still remains..."
- Paul Simon
Did anyone else get choked up when Mohammad Ali came onto the field for the All-Star game? He was shaking so hard from Parkinson's disease that it was hard to remember the feisty young man who floated like a butterfly and stung like a bee.
I have always felt that boxing is an atavism. There is no place in a truly civilized society for a "sport" in which poor young men beat each other senseless for the enjoyment of the bloodthirsty wealthy.
And yet, Cassius Clay, Mohammed Ali, was such an artist in the squared circle that it was hard not to be enthralled by his skill and his overweening confidence. Yes, he was The Greatest. But, oh my God, what a price he has paid.
My heart leapt into my throat when he came on the field and I wondered why he would appear in public given his tragic condition. Then he bounced around and threw a couple of punches at Derek Jeter. The fighter still remains...
10:48:22 PM 
|
